The invasion and occupation of Iraq have sparked considerable discussion about the nature of American imperialism, but most of it is focused on the short term. The classical historical approach of this book provides a convincing and compelling analysis of the different phases of American imperialism, which have now led to America becoming a global hegemon without any serious rivals.
Victor Kiernan, one of the world's most respected historians, has used his nuanced knowledge of history, literature and politics to trace the evolution of the American Empire: he includes accounts of relations between Indians and white settlers, readings of the work of Melville and Whitman, and an analysis of the way that money and politics became so closely intertwined.
Eric Hobsbawm's preface provides an insight into his own thoughts on American imperialism, and a valuable introduction to Victor Kiernan's work. Together, they shed useful light on today's urgent debates about the uses and misuses of seemingly unlimited military power, a lack of respect for international agreements, and the right to 'pre-emptive defense'.
| Preface | ||
| Pt. 1 | The winning of the national territory | |
| 1 | The birth of a nation | 3 |
| 2 | The pursuit of happiness | 15 |
| 3 | White man and red man | 29 |
| Pt. 2 | Middle decades | |
| 1 | The literary mirror | 49 |
| 2 | From West Indies to Far East | 57 |
| 3 | Civil War and after | 71 |
| 4 | The last Indian wars | 79 |
| Pt. 3 | Overseas expansion and the war with Spain | |
| 1 | The red man in custody | 97 |
| 2 | New visions of empire | 105 |
| 3 | Latin America and further Asia | 117 |
| 4 | Anglo-Saxons and their wars | 127 |
| Pt. 4 | Imperial choices for a new century | |
| 1 | The progressivist era | 147 |
| 2 | The Philippines experiment, and direct or indirect rule | 153 |
| 3 | Dollar diplomacy in Central America | 165 |
| 4 | Old world frustrations, and ideas of a new world order | 177 |
| Pt. 5 | Two strides to world power | |
| 1 | Great war and not so great peace | 197 |
| 2 | Victory and after : the mirror of science fiction | 209 |
| 3 | America, the world's banker | 217 |
| 4 | Slump years, and a new look at the red Indian | 233 |
| 5 | From isolationism to conquest | 239 |
| Pt. 6 | The American hegemony | |
| 1 | Capitalism, militarism and the Cold War | 265 |
| 2 | The old empires and neo-colonialism | 283 |
| 3 | War in Vietnam and its repercussions | 295 |
| 4 | The Middle East and Africa | 309 |
| 5 | Latin America | 319 |
| 6 | Retrospect and prospect | 333 |
| Epilogue | 363 |
Overview
The invasion and occupation of Iraq have sparked considerable discussion about the nature of American imperialism, but most of it is focused on the short term. The classical historical approach of this book provides a convincing and compelling analysis of the different phases of American imperialism, which have now led to America becoming a global hegemon without any serious rivals.
Victor Kiernan, one of the world's most respected historians, has used his nuanced knowledge of ...